Handheld carrier with pocket

ABSTRACT

A handheld carrier having a pull-out storage pocket which is accessible from the interior and exterior of the carrier. The pull-out pocket is pivotally secured to a side wall of the carrier such that the pocket can be pivoted outward to permit access to the pocket from the exterior of the carrier and inward to permit access to the pocket from the interior of the carrier. The pull-out pocket may be incorporated within any conventional configuration of handheld carrier including purses, handbags, briefcases and handheld luggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of handheld carriers, and is more specifically directed to a handheld carrier such as a briefcase, handbag, luggage or purse having a pull-out pocket that can be accessed either from the interior or exterior of the carrier.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Handbags, briefcases, purses, and handheld luggage allow people to carry necessary and convenience items with them when travelling long distances or locally. Modern business and consumer practices require people to carry with them a large number of identification cards such as drivers' licenses and work ID badges; financial cards, such as credit, debit, and ATM cards; and cash or checkbooks. Many people also rely on portable communication devices such as cellular telephones and pagers and many also carry handheld computers or organizers. In addition, most people also carry house and vehicle keys or remote controls. Handheld carriers provide a means to carry all of these needed articles so that they are available during the course of the day. While it is necessary to carry all of these articles, only some of them, such as cell phones, money, or credit cards, are accessed frequently during the day. Others, such as car keys, may only be needed occasionally.

[0005] It is known to provide a simple container such as a purse or briefcase into which a person can store all of the articles he or she wants to have access to during the day. However, when access to a specific article is needed, the container must be opened and the contents searched in order to locate the desired article.

[0006] It is also known to provide pockets or sub-containers within the interior or on the exterior of the handheld carrier. While such pockets allow for organization of articles, they also have shortcomings. Pockets on the inside of the carrier require the carrier to be opened to access the contents of the pocket, thus if the user is in a crowded area, or has the carrier placed on the floor, such as under an airplane seat, the entire carrier must be retrieved and opened in order to gain access to the interior pocket.

[0007] Likewise, exterior pockets on the carrier do not allow access to the pocket when the user is accessing the interior of the carrier, such as when working from an open briefcase. In addition, exterior pockets protrude from the carrier, leaving the contents of the pocket susceptible to damage.

[0008] Although the prior designs of purses, handbags, briefcases, luggage, and other handheld carriers are suitable for their purposes, a need remains in the art for improved handheld carriers which allow articles to be selectively stored and easily accessed while protecting those articles from loss or damage.

[0009] To this end, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a handheld carrier having a pocket that can be accessed from the interior and exterior of the carrier.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to provide a pocket in a handheld carrier that allows easy access to the pocket from the exterior of the carrier, yet provides protection of the contents of the pocket within the interior of the carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] These and other objects are achieved by a handheld carrier having a pull-out storage pocket pivotally secured to the outer wall of the carrier wherein the pocket may be pivoted outward to an outer position to enable access to the pocket from the exterior of the carrier, and may be pivoted inward to an inner position to enable access to the pocket from the interior of the carrier. When in the inner position, the storage pocket and its contents are stored or retained within the confines of the interior of the carrier. Thus, the carrier configuration enables a user to easily access items in the storage pocket from both the interior and exterior of the carrier, yet enables the contents of the pocket to be protected from damage or harm.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carrier comprises any type of handheld carrier known in the art such as a handbag, purse, briefcase or handheld piece of luggage of conventional configuration having a bottom wall and side walls that together define an interior cavity for storing articles. A pull-out pocket having a compartment for storing articles is secured within an opening in one of the side walls of the carrier. The pull-out pocket is pivotally secured to the side wall such that it may be pivoted outward to an outer position to permit access to the compartment from the exterior of the carrier and pivoted inward to an inner position for access to the compartment from the interior cavity. The pocket has an outer panel that lies flush with the side wall of the carrier when the pocket is in the inner position so as to close the opening in the side wall and prevent access to the pocket compartment. In this manner, the pocket compartment is fully retained within the interior cavity of the carrier when in the inner position so as to protect the contents of the compartment. The pocket also has an inner panel that closes the opening in the side wall when the pocket is in the outer position and prevents access to the pocket compartment from the interior cavity. Thus, while a user can retrieve articles from the pocket compartment, articles in the remainder of the carrier are protected and cannot accidentally fall out of the interior cavity through the opening.

[0013] In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the pull-out pocket comprises a rectangular flap cut in a side wall of the carrier and a pocket body secured to the inner face of the flap. The flap is formed by cutting three straight line cuts through the side wall of the carrier: a top cut extending substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the carrier and two side cuts substantially identical in length and substantially parallel to each other extending downwardly from opposite ends of the top cut towards the bottom wall of the carrier. In this manner, the flap is foldable along an uncut bottom edge of the flap. The pocket body is a generally rectangular box having a flat bottom panel, two side panels, two end panels and an open top. One side panel of the pocket is attached to or integral with the inner face of the flap, such that the top edge of the pocket body is substantially adjacent the top edge of the flap.

[0014] Insofar as the flap can be pivoted with respect to the remainder of the side wall along the uncut bottom edge of the flap, the pocket may be pivoted outward to an outer position to permit access to the pocket from the exterior of the carrier. The pocket may also be pivoted inward to an inner position wherein the outer face of the flap lies flush with the remainder of the side wall. In the inner position, the pocket and its contents are protected within the interior cavity of the carrier and do not protrude outwardly of the carrier. The contents of the pocket may be accessed from the interior cavity. A fastener may be included on the pocket to releasably secure the pocket to the side wall in the inner position. A hinge or other pivotal connector may also be included along the base of the pocket body to more securely pivotally attach the pocket body to the side wall.

[0015] The side walls of the carrier are preferably made from a rigid or semi-rigid material so as to provide support to the pocket. Preferably, the side walls are formed of an outer layer of leather, vinyl, canvas, fabric or other decorative material secured to a more rigid material such as cardboard, plastic, plastic composites or metal. An inner liner of decorative material may also be provided to line the interior cavity of the carrier. The pocket body is also preferably made of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as leather, cardboard, plastic, plastic composites or metal, and may be covered with a decorative material and/or have a decorative lining to line the compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handheld carrier in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention wherein the handheld carrier is a purse having a pull-out pocket shown in the inner position.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handheld carrier of FIG. 1 in which the pull-out pocket is shown in the outer position.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an end view of the handheld carrier of FIG. 1 in which the top of the carrier is open.

[0019]FIG. 4 is an end view of the handheld carrier of FIG. 2.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a handheld carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the carrier is a briefcase having a pull-pocket shown in the outer position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] The present invention is directed to a handheld carrier having a pocket that is accessible from the interior or exterior of the carrier. For purposes of this invention a handheld carrier may be any type of handheld carrier known in the art which serves as a receptacle for storing and carrying articles. Preferably, the handheld carrier comprises a handbag, purse, briefcase, or handheld piece of luggage of any conventional configuration known in the art.

[0022] In the most preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 5, the handheld carrier is a purse and a briefcase respectively. It should be understood that while the drawings depict a specific configuration of purse and briefcase, a variety of different configurations are known in the art and considered suitable for purposes of this invention.

[0023] Looking to FIG. 1, a handheld carrier in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. Carrier 10 comprises a bottom wall 12, end walls 14 a, 14 b, and side walls 16 a, 16 b configured to enclose an inner cavity (not shown). The bottom edges of side walls 16 a, 16 b and end walls 14 a, 14 b are fixably attached or integral with the outer edges of bottom wall 12, and the side edges of side walls 16 a,16 b are fixably attached or integral with the side edges of end walls 14 a, 14 b. When the carrier 10 is closed, the top edges of side walls 16 a, 16 b are abutted together or in close proximity, and are held together by latching mechanism 20. While latching mechanism 20 shown is a twist-snap, it is understood that any other type of latching mechanism known in the art may be used including a magnetic latch, zipper, hasp or hook and loop fasteners. Furthermore, the carrier may alternatively have an open top that is not closeable, or may be closed via a flap extending from one of the side walls as is known in the art. The end walls 14 a, 14 b each have a cut 22 a, 22 b extending downwardly from their topmost point substantially vertically to their substantially centermost point, allowing the end walls 14 a, 14 b to deflect when the carrier is opened. When carrier 10 is open, latching mechanism 20 is released and the top edges of side walls 16 a, 16 b are separated forming an opening through which a user can access the inner cavity.

[0024] Carrier walls 12, 14, 16 may be formed of any material known in the art, and are preferably made from a rigid or semi-rigid material so as to provide support to the pocket. Most preferably, the walls are formed of an outer layer of leather, vinyl, canvas, fabric or other decorative material secured to a more rigid material such as cardboard, plastic, plastic composites or metal. An inner liner of decorative material may also be provided to line the inner cavity. The walls may be formed integrally or secured together via glue, stitching, or any number of other methods known in the art.

[0025] Looking still to FIG. 1, a flap 30 is formed by three cuts in side wall 16 a: a top cut 34 a extending substantially parallel to bottom wall 12 and two side cuts 34 b, 34 c substantially identical in length and substantially parallel to each other extending downwardly from opposite ends of top cut 34 a towards bottom wall 12. Flap 30 is foldable along an uncut bottom edge 36. A latching mechanism 38 secures the flap 30 in a closed position against side wall 16 a. While the latching mechanism 38 shown is a hasp, any latching device or method known in the art for securing the flap to side wall 16 a may be used, including a magnetic latch, zipper, button or hook and loop fastener. Flap 30 pivots along uncut bottom edge 36 between an inner position wherein flap 30 lies flush with the remainder of side wall 16 a, and an outer position wherein flap 30 is pivoted outwardly from side wall 16 a.

[0026] Turning now to FIG. 2, pocket body 40 comprises a bottom panel 42, side panels 44 a, 44 b, and end panels 46 a, 46 b configured to form an essentially rectangular compartment 47 for storing articles with an open top. Panels 42, 44, 46 may be formed of any material known in the art, and are preferably made of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as leather, plastic, plastic composite, cardboard or metal. The outer and/or inner faces of the panels may be covered by a protective or decorative material such as leather, vinyl, canvas or fabric. The panels may be formed integrally or secured together via glue, stitching, or any number of other methods known in the art.

[0027] Looking to FIG. 3, one side panel 44 a of pocket body 40 is attached to or integral with the interior side of flap 30 so that the pocket body travels with flap 30 when the flap is pivoted along bottom edge 36. When flap 30 and pocket body 40 are in the inner position, the pocket body 40 is protected and located within the interior of the carrier such that access to compartment 47 is possible only from the interior of the carrier. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the pocket compartment 47 can be accessed via the opening 18 formed in the top of carrier 10 when the carrier is opened.

[0028] Turning to FIG. 4, when flap 30 and pocket body 40 are pivoted to the outer position, access to the pocket compartment 47 is possible only from the exterior of carrier 10. Additionally, when flap 30 and pocket body 40 are in the outer position, the innermost side panel 44 b of pocket 40 is positioned to prevent access to the interior of the carrier and simultaneously prevents the contents of carrier 10 from spilling out of the interior cavity through side wall 16 a.

[0029]FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the handheld carrier is a briefcase designated generally by the numeral 110. In this configuration the carrier is comprised of a front piece 112 a and a back piece 112 b hingedly connected along a bottom edge (not shown) to form an interior cavity for storing items when the two pieces are secured together along the top edges 111 a, 111 b of each piece. When carrier 110 is closed, top edges 111 a, 111 b of front piece 112 a and back piece 112 b respectively are abutted together or in close proximity, and are held together by latching mechanisms 120 a, 120 b. While the latching mechanisms 120 a, 120 b shown are hasps, it is understood that any other type of latching mechanism known in the art for securing the two pieces together may be used. In addition, combination or key locks may be incorporated to releasably lock the two pieces together in the closed position. When carrier 110 is open, latching mechanisms 120 a, 120 b are released and the front piece 112 a is separated from the back piece 112 b allowing access to the interior cavity (not shown).

[0030] The front and back pieces 112 a, 112 b may be formed of any material known in the art, and are preferably made of rigid or semi-rigid material such as leather, plastic, plastic composite, metal or cardboard. The outer and/or inner faces of the rigid or semi-rigid material may be covered with a protective or decorative material such as leather, vinyl, canvas or fabric to create an attractive outer casing and/or an inner cavity lining. Depending upon the configuration and the type of material used, the front and back pieces may each be made of one solid piece of material (e.g. metal or plastic briefcases) or may be formed of various sized sheets of material secured together via glue, stitching, or any number of other methods known in the art.

[0031] As previously described with respect to the purse shown in FIGS. 1-4, a pull-out pocket 130 is pivotally secured to a side wall of front piece 112 a such that the pocket may be pivoted to an outer position (as shown in FIG. 5) or an inner position (not shown). This pocket may be formed as heretofore described by cutting a flap in the side wall and securing a pocket body to the inner face of the flap. Alternatively, the pocket may be formed by cutting a rectangular opening through the side wall of front piece 112 a and pivotally connecting a rectangular pocket to the side wall along a bottom or side of the pocket via a hinge. The outer panel 144 a of the pocket could be sized equally to the opening or may be sized larger than the opening so as to overlap a portion of the side wall when the pocket is in the closed position. In any event, the pocket has a pocket compartment 147 for storing articles that can be accessed from the exterior of the carrier when the pocket is in the outer position. An inner panel 144 b of the pocket serves to block access to the interior cavity of the briefcase when the pocket is in the outer position. When in the inner position, pocket compartment 147 is stored within the interior cavity of the carrier so as to protect the contents of compartment 147 and permit access to the compartment from within the interior cavity. Thus, if the briefcase is open, a user can access any items in the pocket compartment.

[0032] As disclosed heretofore with respect to the first embodiment of the invention, the pocket may be formed of any material and is preferably formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material to provide protection to the contents of the pocket compartment and to aid in the pivotal movement of the pocket. Furthermore, a fastener may be used to secure the pocket in the inner position.

[0033] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objectives herein-above set forth, together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention.

[0034] Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

[0035] While specific embodiments have been shown and discussed, various modifications may of course be made, and the invention is not limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts and steps described herein, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims. Further, it will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

[0036] For example, while a specific configuration of a purse and briefcase was described, it is anticipated that the pull-out pocket may be incorporated into any configuration of handheld carrier. The pull-out pocket need not be a rectangular box shape, but could be any variety of shapes provided the pocket defines a compartment for retaining articles and can be pivotally secured to the carrier side wall for movement from an inner to an outer position. While the pull-out pocket was shown to have an open top, it is anticipated that the top may be closed using a cover, flap or fastening device to provide additional protection to the contents of the pocket. Furthermore, the pocket need not be formed by cutting a flap in the side wall. The pocket could be provided as a separate component pivotally secured to the side wall in an opening formed in the side wall via a hinge or other pivotal connector, or could be integrally formed within the side wall. The pocket need not be pivotally connected along its bottom edge, but could alternatively pivot along the side of the pocket such that it rotates outward to the outer position. In addition, the outer wall or panel of the pocket may be sized to overlap a portion of the carrier side wall. It is likewise anticipated that the carrier may have more than one pull-out pocket either on the same side wall or on multiple side walls of the carrier. 

I claim:
 1. A handheld carrier for use in carrying and storing articles comprising: an outer wall configured to define an inner cavity for storing articles; and a pocket configured to define a pocket compartment for storing articles, said pocket being pivotally secured to said outer wall such that the pocket may be pivoted to an outer position to enable access to the pocket compartment from an exterior of the carrier, and may be pivoted to an inner position to enable access to the pocket compartment from the inner cavity.
 2. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pocket compartment is retained within the inner cavity when the pocket is in the inner position.
 3. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said carrier is selected from the group consisting of a handbag, purse, briefcase and handheld luggage.
 4. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket is pivotally secured to said outer wall within an opening in said outer wall.
 5. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 4, wherein said pocket is configured to close said opening in said outer wall to prevent access to the inner cavity of the carrier through said opening.
 6. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket has an outer panel configured to prevent access to the pocket compartment when the pocket is in the inner position.
 7. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket has an inner panel configured to prevent access to the pocket compartment from the inner cavity when the pocket is in the outer position.
 8. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 5, wherein said pocket has an outer panel configured to close said opening when the pocket is in the outer position, and said pocket has an inner panel configured to close said opening when the pocket is in the inner position.
 9. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket is pivotally secured to said outer wall via a hinge.
 10. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket comprises: a flap cut in said outer wall such that said flap is pivotally attached to said outer wall along a fold line, said flap having an inner face and an outer face; and a pocket body integrally formed or secured to the inner face of the flap.
 11. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pocket body defines a pocket compartment with an open top, said pocket body secured to said flap such that a top edge of the flap is adjacent said open top.
 12. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket may be releasably fixed in said inner position via a fastener.
 13. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pocket body is additionally secured to said outer wall via a hinge.
 14. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said outer wall is made from a material comprising a rigid or semi-rigid material.
 15. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pocket is made from a material comprising a rigid or semi-rigid material.
 16. A handheld carrier for use in carrying and storing articles comprising: an outer wall configured to define an inner cavity for storing articles, said outer wall having an opening there through; and a pocket having an outer panel and an inner panel, said pocket being pivotally secured within said opening such that the outer panel closes said opening when the pocket is pivoted to an inner position, and said inner panel closes said opening when the pocket is pivoted to an outer position.
 17. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 16, wherein said outer panel lies flush with said outer wall when the pocket is in said inner position.
 18. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 16, wherein said pocket defines a pocket compartment that can be accessed from an exterior of the carrier when the pocket is in the outer position, and can be accessed from the inner cavity of the carrier when the pocket is in the inner position.
 19. A handheld carrier in accordance with 18, wherein the pocket compartment is retained within the inner cavity of the carrier when the pocket is in the inner position.
 20. A handheld carrier in accordance with claim 16, wherein said outer panel is larger in size than said opening such that the outer panel overlaps said outer wall when the pocket is in the inner position.
 21. A handheld carrier for use in carrying and storing articles comprising: an outer wall configured to define an inner cavity for storing articles, said outer wall having an opening there through; and a pocket having an outer panel, an inner panel and a pocket compartment for storing articles, said pocket being pivotally secured to said outer wall within said opening to close said opening such that said pocket may be pivoted to an outer position to enable access to the pocket compartment from an exterior of the carrier, and may be pivoted to an inner position such that the pocket compartment is retained and accessible within the inner cavity. 